2011 — May 24, Tornadoes, OK, KS, AR — 17

— 17  Blanchard tally based on State breakouts below.

— 14  NY Daily News.  “New Batch of Tornadoes Kill 14 in Three States.”  May 25, 2011.

— 13  Christian Post.  “Latest Midwest Tornado Claims 13 Lives.”  May 25, 2011.

 

Arkansas        ( 4)

–4  State. NY Daily News. “New Batch of Tornadoes Kill 14 in Three States.”  May 25, 2011.

–2  Denning, Franklin Co., EF-4. NWS WFO, Tulsa, OK. Event Summary – 24 May 2011…

–1  Etna, Franklin Co., EF-4. NWS WFO, Tulsa, OK. Event Summary – 24 May 2011…

–1  New Spadra (1 mi W), near Clarksville, Johnson CO, 05:24. SPC Storm Reports 5-24-11.[1]

 

Kansas            ( 2)

–2  State. NY Daily News. “New Batch of Tornadoes Kill 14 in Three States.”  May 25, 2011.

–2  NNE of Seward. Storm Prediction Center. SPC Storm Reports for 05/24/11. 6-3-2011 mod.[2]

 

Oklahoma      (11)

–11  State. NWSWFO Norman, OK. “The Tornado Outbreak of May 24, 2011.” 6-11-2014 mod.

–11  State.  Wikipedia. “May 21-26, 2011 Tornado Outbreak Sequence.” Aug 2, 2011.

–10      “     PBS News Hour. May 26, 2011.

—  8      “     NY Daily News. “New Batch of Tornadoes Kill 14 in Three States.”  May 25, 2011.

—  1  ~Canton.  Wikipedia. “May 21-26, 2011 Tornado Outbreak Sequence.” Aug 2, 2011.

—  9  Hinton to Guthrie. Wikipedia. “May 21-26, 2011 Tornado Outbreak Sequence.” 8-2-2011.

—  1  Chickasha-SW Oklahoma City/Moore. Wikipedia. “May 21-26, 2011 Tornado.” 8-2-2011.

 

Media Narratives (General)

 

NY Daily News: “The death toll from a second round of killer Midwest storms rose to 14 Wednesday after more terrifying twisters lashed across three states. Violent weather conditions tore up trees, tossed cars and destroyed buildings late Tuesday and early Wednesday, killing eight in Oklahoma, four in Arkansas and two in Kansas.

 

“The storm slammed Oklahoma City, where winds clocked in at 151 mph. Among those killed there was a 15-month-old boy, and rescuers were hunting for his 3-year-old brother.
It came just days after the nation’s deadliest tornado in 60 years killed 122 people and left 750 injured in the Missouri city of Joplin….

 

“Residents in the tornado zone said they had been warned for days about potentially deadly storms and were prepared to take cover….

“In Kansas, police said two people died when high winds threw a tree into their van as they drove down a highway.

“Storm systems spawning tornadoes and baseball-sized hail also moved north and east across northern Texas Tuesday night, filling the sky with debris but causing no injuries….” (NY Daily News. “New Batch of Tornadoes Kill 14 in Three States.” May 25, 2011.)

 

Christian Post: “The death toll of the tornado that hit Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas has risen to 13 on Wednesday…. In Oklahoma, police and civilian volunteers are searching for a three-year-old boy missing after a severe storm ripped through his home in Piedmont, Oklahoma on Tuesday….”  (Christian Post. “Latest Midwest Tornado Claims 13 Lives.” May 25, 2011.)

 

Arkansas

 

NWS WFO, Tulsa, OK: “The tornado touched down 1.8 miles south of Branch, AR and traveled northeast through Etna and Denning and into Johnson County.  The EF-4 rating was based on damage that occurred in and around Etna (located about 1 mile north of the intersection of Highways 288 and 23). Several well-built, wood-framed homes were severely damaged, one down to the foundation. The damage sustained to a well-built, steel framed home between Etna and the Arkansas River was also considered to be low-end EF4.  Some trees were debarked in the Etna area and the ground was considerably scoured by the debris generated by the tornado. The damage that occurred in Denning was rated EF-3 based on a severely damaged permanent home and ten 100 foot metal power poles being bent over near the ground.  Several other permanent homes were damaged and mobile homes were also destroyed in the Denning area, much of which was rated in the EF-2 range. This tornado killed one person in Etna and injured at least six others. Two additional people were killed by the tornado in Denning with at least ten serious injuries also reported. All of the fatalities were mobile home related.” (National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Tulsa, OK. Event Summary – 24 May 2011 Tornado and Severe Weather Event. Tulsa, OK: NWS WFO, Tulsa, 6-16-2011 update.)

 

Oklahoma

 

NWS WFO Norman, OK: “A tornado outbreak occurred over parts of northern and central Oklahoma during the day on May 24, 2011, with violent tornadoes devastating several communities. By the end of the day, one EF-5, two EF-4, and two EF-3 tornadoes destroyed buildings, ripped up trees and power poles, and unfortunately, resulted in 11 deaths and 293 injuries.

 

“The day began with a strong upper level trough ejecting out of the southwestern United States. The trough took on a negative tilt as it approached the southern Plains. A strong jet stream was located at both the middle and upper levels rotating around the upper trough. At the surface, a low pressure strengthened rapidly over northwestern Oklahoma, keeping the low-level flow of warm, moist air to flow east of a dry line that had moved into western Oklahoma.

 

“Thunderstorms developed by early afternoon over western Oklahoma, and quickly became supercells as they moved northeast. Strong low-level rotation developed early, with the first tornado occurring over Blaine County, and moved northeast into Major County. Another supercell rapidly gained low-level rotation as it moved from Caddo into Canadian County. This tornado became the strongest of them all as it moved north of El Reno, west of Piedmont, and to south of Guthrie in Logan county. Nine people died as a result of this violent tornado.

 

“Two more powerful supercells developed over Grady county, and they moved northeast into McClain and Cleveland counties. Finally, the final tornado occurred east of Norman into Pottawatomie county. The timing of this outbreak could not have come at a worse time, as rush hour was just unfolding as the tornadoes neared the Oklahoma City metro area.” (NWS WFO, Norman, OK “The Tornado Outbreak of May 24, 2011.” 6-11-2014 modification.)

 

Sources

 

Christian Post. “Latest Midwest Tornado Claims 13 Lives.” May 25, 2011. Accessed May 25, 2011 at:  http://www.christianpost.com/news/latest-midwest-tornado-claims-13-lives-50516/

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Norman, OK. “The Tornado Outbreak of May 24, 2011.” 6-11-2014 modification. Accessed 6-7-2015 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=events-20110524

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Tulsa, OK. Event Summary – 24 May 2011 Tornado and Severe Weather Event. Tulsa, OK: NWS WFO, Tulsa, 6-16-2011 update. Accessed 6-7-2015 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/?n=weather-event_2011may24

 

New York Daily News. “New Batch of Tornadoes Kill 14 in Three States.”  May 25, 2011.  Accessed 5-25-2011: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/05/25/2011-05-25_midwest_hit_again_li_new_round_of_twisters_kills_7_in_two_states_li_bam_vows_to_.html

 

Storm Prediction Center. SPC Storm Reports for 05/24/11. Norman, OK: SPC, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 6-3-2011 modification. Accessed 6-7-2015 at: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/110524_rpts.html

 

Wikipedia. “May 21-26, 2011 Tornado Outbreak Sequence.” Aug 2, 2011. Accessed at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_21%E2%80%9326,_2011_tornado_outbreak_sequence

 

 

 

[1] “An EF3 tornado touched down 1 mile west of New Spadra in Johnson County and lifted 3 miles southwest of Pelsor in Pope County.”

[2] “Two fatalities occurred when a tornado blew a tree onto a van traveling along Highway 281.” At 22:06.